Alternative Names

Considerations

Morning sickness is very common. Most pregnant women have at least some nausea, and about a third have vomiting.

Morning sickness usually begins during the first month of pregnancy and continues through the 14th to 16th week (3rd or 4th month). Some women have nausea and vomiting through their entire pregnancy.

Morning sickness does not hurt the baby in any way unless you lose weight, such as with severe vomiting. Mild weight loss during the first trimester is not uncommon when women have moderate symptoms, and is not harmful to the baby.

The amount of morning sickness during one pregnancy does not predict how you will feel in future pregnancies.

Causes

The exact cause of morning sickness is unknown. It may be caused by hormone changes or lower blood sugar during early pregnancy. Emotional stress, fatigue, traveling, or some foods can make the problem worse. Nausea in pregnancy is more common and can be worse with twins or triplets.

Home Care

Try to keep a positive attitude. Remember that morning sickness usually stops after the first 3 or 4 months of pregnancy. To reduce nausea, try:

A few soda crackers or dry toast when you first wake up, even before you get out of bed in the morning.

A small snack at bedtime and when getting up to go to the bathroom at night.

Avoid large meals; instead, snack as often as every 1 - 2 hours during the day and drink plenty of fluids.

Eat foods high in protein and complex carbohydrates, such as peanut butter on apple slices or celery; nuts; cheese; crackers; milk; cottage cheese; and yogurt; avoid foods high in fat and salt, but low in nutrition.

Acupressure wrist bands or acupuncture may help. You can find these bands in drug, health food, and travel and boating stores. If you are thinking about trying acupuncture, talk to your doctor and look for an acupuncturist who is trained to work with pregnant women.

Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke.

Avoid taking medications for morning sickness. If you do, ask a doctor first.